Education is no exception, and following Sir Keir Starmer’s high-profile plans to develop the UK into an artificial intelligence ‘superpower’, it’s clear that these emerging tools are here to stay. But what is the role of AI in education, and how can supply teachers best equip themselves to leverage the value of these tools in the classroom?
Government plans
The Prime Minister set out his plan earlier this month to harness the potential of AI to usher in a decade of national renewal, drive growth and revolutionise public services. Education is a specific beneficiary of the announcement, with the Government intending to embed artificial intelligence in the sector. One of the strategies announced included a £4 million programme designed to pool documents including curriculum guidance, lesson plans and anonymised pupil assessments, which will then be used by AI companies to train their tools to generate accurate, high-quality content. This will support the production of the likes of tailored, creative lesson plans and workbooks, that can then be adopted by teachers and utilised in schools.
In addition, a separate £1 million programme has been launched for developers to create AI tools to aid teachers with marking and providing feedback in a fraction of the time they currently spend. This means that they have increased opportunities to focus on their core tasks and the chance to spend more face time with pupils. Evidence has shown that high-quality feedback drives better performance but, as readers will recognise, marking is a huge drain on teacher time.
Tools will be developed for specific age groups and subjects and will aid supply and permanent specialists with tasks from marking handwritten work, to providing feedback on drawings and diagrams. Developers estimate that they could cut administrative workloads by 50% and, crucially, they will also allow teachers to retain oversight of the feedback process, and balance technological efficiency with human expertise and judgement. And, according to new research, parents are also increasingly keen for educators to use generative AI to help children and support the Government’s broader mission of breaking down barriers to opportunity.
While AI will be used in the classroom, teaching itself is one of the professions most likely to be better protected from its rise. Many other markets are already seeing some roles being swallowed by emerging tools, but it’s safe to say that teachers are here for the foreseeable future. This means that specialists can focus on capitalising on the potential offered by AI, without fearing that it will steal their jobs.
Outside of the two areas of investment outlined by the Prime Minister, there are also other ways for supply teachers to leverage the full power of available AI-backed tools in their roles.
How to apply AI in education
Existing, mass-market platforms like ChatGPT, CoPilot and DALL-E all offer the potential to simplify planning and administrative work, but can also provide value in tailoring learning experiences. This personalisation can allow for the creation of bespoke content that supports students with varying learning types. The nature of supply roles means that teachers often have to quickly adapt to the type of classes they are teaching, and AI can allow them to build lesson plans that meet the needs of a diverse range of pupils in different settings, in far less time.
The role of AI is only likely to grow in the future and any professionals thinking they can sidestep its seemingly unstoppable march only risk damaging their career prospects. The Government’s plans suggest that it’s better to embrace, rather than resist these technologies, particularly if they can aid you in your role. Consequently, supply teachers need to keep pace with their changing market, and adapt professional development plans accordingly.
Initially, many specialists might not feel comfortable in their ability to leverage AI for the good of their pupils effectively, but becoming more familiar can make the transition significantly easier, and the effort will pay off in the value it adds to future employability. However, it may require a shift in both mind and skill sets to get the full value these tools offer. This is why it’s important to take on any opportunities to gain more experience with AI, and look to better understand how it can be effectively applied in the classroom.
If you’re looking for your next supply teaching role, or are looking to better understand the role of AI in the education sector, speak to our expert team.
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